I forgot it was a "sail" boat

[StPeteRob]

So, I've had some engine trouble and my poor Catalina 25 has been sitting in a temporary anchorage on her way to a semi permanent mooring. I've been fretting over the engine problems and worrying about towing costs, unsure of how I could possibly move her before being labeled a derelict.

I realize she's a sailboat yesterday. I don't need a motor outside of docking.

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[Sea Dreaming]

[TurninTurtle]

25 Probably as big as I'd want to try...

Kind of a "redneck" trick.
Needs a calm wind day, especially for the larger boat.

You may not need the motor at all if you have 2 mushroom anchors and at least one person on the pier to help a little.

You sail as close as you are comfortable to the pier.
Drop anchor...
Toss the other anchor toward where you want to go.
Pull the first anchor...
Walk it in alternating anchors.
Toss a line to the person on the pier. They tie it to a cleat and you haul the boat in.

Slow... annoying... but it works.

I've pulled a 17 ft bass boat off a sandbar this way.

************

If the winds work out well you may be able to sail right into your slip. But you want a fair amount of tight space maneuvering practice with that specific boat before trying.

[StPeteRob]

My current plan is to pole out of where I am and just raise sails once I'm in somewhat open water. I thought about walking it with anchors, but I'd be alone and don't want to be that far from the tiller, even though I can "lock" it in place.

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[Dave22q]

On a calm day you should be able to paddle or skull your 25 with little difficulty. Of course, if it's shallow just get out and push.

[bruce v]

Ever heard of kedging? Take anchor and chain as far as you can in the direction you want to go aboard your dingy. Drop it, go to boat haul in. It is a slow but proven method of moving an engineless boat w/o raising sail (much safer too if there are other boats or obstructions in the maneuvering area. Once you are close enough, you can "anchor" to the dock or pier for final pull - this is better when you don't have a buddy at the dock to throw a line. Also, if you have a small motor, try sistering the dingy to the boat and slow towing it. Waiting for a calm, smooth tideless time also helps immensely regardless of method used. Bruce V

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

On a calm day you should be able to paddle or skull your 25 with little difficulty. Of course, if it's shallow just get out and push.

At a club where I volunteer as an sailing instructor, we use oars on Sonar boats (23ft) whenever the unreliable and small outboards die on us.
The Catalina should be only a little more difficult but not impossible to move under oars/paddles.

[reed1v]

Use to sail into and out of a finger slip for years in a 36' luders. Not sure what the problem is your having.

[TrentePieds]

Why go to all the trouble of kedging when on a calm day you can just tow 'er with your dinghy? In times of yore even quite large sailing ships were often towed by their whalers.

Get her to a place where you can put her hook down and where you'll be safe hoisting and getting away under sail when the wind comes up. Then sail 'er to her destination towing the dinghy.

What you'll have to do at the destination will obviously depend on what is there for you to work with.

TrentePieds

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Use to sail into and out of a finger slip for years in a 36' luders. Not sure what the problem is your having.

Not everyone is that skilled or brave, I wouldn't try it on a bet

[PuttingDoctor]

If you have a tiller why not use it to scull your way out then back in once sails are dropped? This works even better if you have a rudder that is adjustable. My Watkins 24 never had a motor....

[DMCantor]

I live in Switzerland. Here, you are required to have a license to operate a sailboat. To get the license, you have to demonstrate, on the water, that you can pick up a mooring, tie up to a dock, pick up a man overboard, and set an anchor, all under sail.

These are skills that anyone can learn. It takes practice, but most everything worthwhile does.

David
s/v Callisto

[thomm225]

This is another reason to learn sailing on boats without engines.......for the first few years

[dgz3]

make certain bottom and rudder are perfectly clean and sails are in good order
observe local weather patterns and weather forecasts
wait until wind and tide are going where you want to go
raise sails
pull up anchor
use combination of pressure of wind on sails and water on rudder to turn boat and move it in desired direction (have this part figured out before you raise anchor)
sail out of anchorage without hitting other boats, running aground, or fouling anchor lines.
(or do it at night when no one's around;-)
upon arrival at new location, chose desired anchor point
turn boat into wind and release sheets
when boat stops moving forward (preferably over desired anchor point) lower anchor
as boat drifts backwards set anchor and adjust as desired
lower sails
Complete in stages if necessary depending on wind and tide
you may need one wind or tide to get out of where you are, and a different wind or tide to get into where you want to be

or go rent a runabout for a day and tow it. Then go tubing.

[StPeteRob]

It's strange... my first decade of sailing, I never had an engine. Of course, I never had a toilet, sink, or stove that didn't come out of a ruck sack either. I started on prams, graduated to 420s and a 16' Hobie Cat. I never knew about luxuries such as an engine or galley, and now I'm ashamed to say I feel lost without them.

If my father were still around he'd whoop me for this.

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